For some time now, it has been clear that nuclear weapons threaten the existence not only of humanity but of all life on earth. Thus, Barack Obama’s pledge to work for a nuclear weapons-free world made during his 2008 presidential campaign and subsequently in public statements, has resonated nicely with supporters of nuclear disarmament and with the general public.
But recent developments have called that commitment into question. The administration’s Nuclear Posture Review does not indicate any dramatic departures in the use of nuclear weapons, while its nuclear weapons budget request for the next fiscal year represents a 14 percent increase over this year’s counterpart.
The most alarming sign that the administration might be preparing for a nuclear weapons-filled future is its proposal to spend $180 billion over the next 10 years to upgrade the U.S. nuclear weapons production complex.
[Article continues with five main arguments for nuclear abolition, discussing risks of nuclear war, proliferation, terrorism, accidents, and environmental damage. Concludes with a call for public action toward serious nuclear disarmament negotiations.]